Southern California -- this just in

Northridge minister who claimed herbal treatments could cure cancer is charged with fraud

October 9, 2009 | 7:39
am

A Northridge doctor and ordained Pentecostal minister was charged by federal prosecutors with wire and mail fraud after claiming that her herbal treatments could cure cancer.

Christine Daniels, who was arrested Thursday, claimed her "C-Extract" was an alternative to chemotherapy and other traditional cancer treatments. Prosecutors allege she collected more than $1 million from patients, some of whom later died of cancer complications. Some of those patients took "C-Extract" instead of getting traditional cancer treatment.

According to the U.S. attorney's office, Daniels, 55, even discussed her treatment on the Costa Mesa-based TBN Christian cable channel.

Daniels was the subject of a Wall Street Journal story, in which some patients said they followed Daniels' treatments because she was a minister.